Still having some OOR issues

Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad

PaulSF

Member
Joined
Oct 9, 2009
Messages
286
Location
San Francisco
I'm still having some out-of-round issues. As I mentioned previously in another thread, my Turncrafter Pro is slightly out of alignment. I've tried shimming the tailstock a little bit, and that seems to correct the alignment problem when the points of the centers are brought together. Of course, then you have to pull the tailstock back and stick a blank between centers, so maybe the alignment is shifting again?

I am turning between centers now, rather than using a mandrel.

One thing I have noticed is that the live center in the tailstock can wobble. And if I apply a little pressure with my gouge, the blank will move away from me. I don't seem to be able to tighten the live center down. There is some kind of a crank on the tailstock, but it doesn't seem to really do anything.

Also, the OOR-ness seems to be more pronounced at the tailstock end of the blank than at the headstock end, although there's OOR there, too.

Finally, I don't drill my blanks on the lathe (yet). I'm using a drill press, and the drill press seems to drift to the left (takes after its owner :wink:). Consequently, the hole in the blank is never dead center throughout. Don't know whether that is a factor or not.

So, since my weekend trip to Florida has been cancelled by snowy weather, I thought I would raise the issue with you folks.

Ideas?
 
Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad

ed4copies

Local Chapter Manager
Joined
Mar 25, 2005
Messages
24,523
Location
Racine, WI, USA.
There is some kind of a crank on the tailstock, but it doesn't seem to really do anything.

If you have that fully retracted, it removes your morse taper on many lathes. Turn the handle till the tailstock has "moved in" a little (toward the headstock)
 

hewunch

Member
Joined
Aug 5, 2008
Messages
4,657
Location
Albany, GA
well if your quill on the tailstock is too far back the live center doesn't seat in the taper. Use that crank thing to extend the quill a little. There should be a clamp that keeps the quill from moving so try this, in this order.

Insert the live center in the tailstock
Unclamp the quill.
Set your blank in between centers and bring your tail stock almost up to the bushing.
Clamp the tailstock to the ways
extend the quill of the tailstock to bring the live center into the bushing
clamp the quill

Have at it.
 

jttheclockman

Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2005
Messages
19,083
Location
NJ, USA.
I'm still having some out-of-round issues. As I mentioned previously in another thread, my Turncrafter Pro is slightly out of alignment. I've tried shimming the tailstock a little bit, and that seems to correct the alignment problem when the points of the centers are brought together. Of course, then you have to pull the tailstock back and stick a blank between centers, so maybe the alignment is shifting again?

I am turning between centers now, rather than using a mandrel.

One thing I have noticed is that the live center in the tailstock can wobble. And if I apply a little pressure with my gouge, the blank will move away from me. I don't seem to be able to tighten the live center down. There is some kind of a crank on the tailstock, but it doesn't seem to really do anything.

Also, the OOR-ness seems to be more pronounced at the tailstock end of the blank than at the headstock end, although there's OOR there, too.

Finally, I don't drill my blanks on the lathe (yet). I'm using a drill press, and the drill press seems to drift to the left (takes after its owner :wink:). Consequently, the hole in the blank is never dead center throughout. Don't know whether that is a factor or not.

So, since my weekend trip to Florida has been cancelled by snowy weather, I thought I would raise the issue with you folks.

Ideas?



41wWS2B2BKMHL__SS500_.jpg


Look at the photo. Place your live center in the quill of the tailstock and now turn the handle so that the live center starts to get pushed out. Now push the live center in and it should go in a bit. This will now seat it in the tailstock quill. Now tighten the black knob on the side and this will lock your quill in the tailstock. Now move the whole assembly forward to meet your bushings. Now lock the tailstock down The headstock gets the dead center. This should take out the play in the lathe. Now if you got the bushings from JohnnyC I trust them to be round. Anything else you need to tell us what you are using. That is my 2¢
 

PaulSF

Member
Joined
Oct 9, 2009
Messages
286
Location
San Francisco
Oh yes, I did not get the good stuff from JohnnyCNC, I'm using regular bushings.

Thanks for the tips! Now I'm eager to test it out, but my lathe is at my store, and I'm supposed to be in Florida this weekend, so I'll have to wait til Monday.
 

jttheclockman

Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2005
Messages
19,083
Location
NJ, USA.
Oh yes, I did not get the good stuff from JohnnyCNC, I'm using regular bushings.

Thanks for the tips! Now I'm eager to test it out, but my lathe is at my store, and I'm supposed to be in Florida this weekend, so I'll have to wait til Monday.


Well we will let John speak about using standard bushings for turning between centers. :eek:
 

johnnycnc

Member
Joined
Feb 27, 2006
Messages
3,612
Location
columbus, IN, USA.
John..Oh, I shouldn't..:biggrin:
Sounds like maybe the tailstock issue needs to be solved first for Paul.

Paul, can you describe your procedure for the tailstock use for us?
I have to retire for the evening, but I'm sure the other knowledgable folks can field the answers!
We can get you through that part of it, I'm sure.
Will check back tomorrow, though.:)
 

PaulSF

Member
Joined
Oct 9, 2009
Messages
286
Location
San Francisco
Well, I don't know that you could call it "a procedure." I move the tailstock up so the blank is snug and will turn, and that's where I tighten it down. I've been blundering around like a blind man with the quill lock, since the nonexistent instructions don't really cover what anything does. So, Job One for me is to follow the advice here on using the quill lock properly.
 

jttheclockman

Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2005
Messages
19,083
Location
NJ, USA.
Well, I don't know that you could call it "a procedure." I move the tailstock up so the blank is snug and will turn, and that's where I tighten it down. I've been blundering around like a blind man with the quill lock, since the nonexistent instructions don't really cover what anything does. So, Job One for me is to follow the advice here on using the quill lock properly.


You are correct Paul. The first things you need to do is the steps provided and see where this puts you. Report back when you tried this and will take it to the next step.

Also just reread your initial post and you mention the drill press. That is a story for another day but will say this that your off center holes will have nothing to do with your OOR blanks if you are milling the ends properly and getting the ends of the blank parallel with the ends of the tubes. If you use the wrong mill setup or if you are sanding your ends using a disc sander and the end results are coming out on an angle then that would be the first thing to correct. If this is not the case then proced to above suggestions. Good luck.



PS

One thing I should have mentioned and I forget sometimes because I feel this is something we all should do reguarly and that is to make sure the morse tapers are clean and no foriegn debris is in the female end or on the male end.
 

PaulSF

Member
Joined
Oct 9, 2009
Messages
286
Location
San Francisco
Just tried the advice here, and now things are going much better. Of course, I still blew out one of the blanks while milling the end, so I have to cut a new blank to replace it!
 

Mac

Member
Joined
Feb 15, 2008
Messages
532
Location
Bingen, Arkansas
I don't know if you have a local IAP club near, If not I would strongly suggest that you get on www.woodturners.org and find an AAW club close to you ,I just checked there is more than 20 in Cali. And you will find a wealth of knowledge from those guys. And in person, as most AAW clubs meet once a month. I am in two such clubs.
There are penturners in both clubs. And some of the different things, that these guys know and do, will be lost someday. If not passed on. Go join up
 

PaulSF

Member
Joined
Oct 9, 2009
Messages
286
Location
San Francisco
Mac, there is one nearby, and I wasn't able to go to the last meeting due to work travel. But I definitely plan to be active!

Duhhh, so that's how the tailstock works! lol!!! Y'all should've seen my face today!
 

writestuff

Member
Joined
Oct 6, 2009
Messages
57
Location
Marquette, Mi. 49855
??

I'm probsbly missing something in all the previous discussions, but it seems to me that only two things can cause OOR blanks at the tailstock end. Either the dead center is loose, or the mandrel is bent. I test for bent mandrel by laying the tip section of a #2 philips head on the tailstock end of the running lathe. Any vibration is instatly noticeble. Just my 2C worth.:)
WS (Bob)
 

PaulSF

Member
Joined
Oct 9, 2009
Messages
286
Location
San Francisco
Bob, I wasn't using a mandrel, I was turning between centers. And since the lathe comes without instructions, and I'm new to using a lathe, I didn't know how to secure the live center in the tailstock. So I was getting a lot of wobble, and when I applied even light pressure against the blank with my tools, the blank would move away from me. (yeah, that came out sounding totally perverted)
 
Top Bottom